Glassware transfer apparatus



Dec. 30, 1952 a. E. ROWE GLASSWARE TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed Dec. 8. 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR GEORGE 'E'. ROWE g/11.)... +7543 ATTORNEYS G. E. ROWE GLASSWARE TRANSFER APPARATUS Dec. 30, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 8. 1950 FIG. 2

v INVENTQR GEORGE E. RQWE BYMn/m. +43% ATTORNEYS Dec. 30, 1952 s. E. ROWE 2,523,648

GLASSWARE TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed Dec. 8, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYS NOE Patented Dec. 30, 1952 GLASSWARE TRANSFER APPARATUS.

George E. Rowe, Wethersfield, 001111., assignor to Emhart Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Delaware Application December 8, 1950, Serial No. 139,880

8 Claims. 1.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatuses for transferring a row of articles, such as bottles or jars, from a moving conveyor to a second conveyor. An apparatus of this kind may be employed to transfer a row of articles at a single operation from a cross conveyor located at the front of a lehr onto the lehr conveyor although, of course, such an apparatus is not limited to that use.

In my copending application, Serial No, 733,951, I disclose and claim an apparatus of the kind referred to having a gang gripper mechanism movably supported and actuated to grasp a row of articles arriving ata receiving station when moving in the direction of and at least as great a speed as the row and then moving the row of grasped articles bodily along an arc of a circle of 180 degrees to a position directly over and across a lehr conveyor, the gripper mechanism then being actuated to release the row of transferred articles so as to deposit it as a transverse row on the lehr conveyor. The glassware transfer apparatus of my copending application has the advantage of achieving highstacking speed in terms of bottles placed on the lehr conveyor per minute while maintaining the advantages of low mechanism speed, a definite pattern of stacked ware on the lehr conveyor and minimum abrasion of the ware. The ware gripping means of the apparatus of my aforesaid copending application comprises cooperative rows'of depending parallel closely spaced flexible and resilient gripper fingers adapted to grip a row of bottles or other articles of glassware securely when the rows of gripper fingers are closed eventhough the spacing between adjacent individual articles may vary'and they may not be exactly in line in the row and the gripped portions of such articlesmay vary slightly in diameteramong themselves. A gang gripper mechanism as just described also is disclosed and is individually claimed in my still earlier filed copending application, Serial No. 705,371, filed October 24, 1946, on which Patent No, 2,551,535 was granted on July 24 1951.

The present invention provides a glassware transfer mechanism which is generally similar to that of my prior application, Serial No. 738,951, but is simpler in construction, cheaper to manufacture, capable of higher stacking speeds, and more dependable and less likely to get out of order or be impaired in service.

Improvement features of the apparatus of the present invention which distinguish it from that of my aforesaid application, Serial No. 738,951, include a simplified construction, having fewer parts requiring less maintenance. The drive 2 cannot get out of position. .It has no, chains to jump sprockets. No ratchet or beveled gears are employed. The gang gripper mechanism of the improved apparatus of the present invention is carried by a shortened oscillatory arm means by which relatively higher glassware transfer and stacking speeds can" be attained. The action of this oscillatory gripper mechanism carrying arm means is always dampened, thus obviating damage attributable to release of built-up forces developingfrom a jam or from overloading. .The transfer apparatus of the present invention is pneumatically operated and includes convenient adjustments to allow for differences in ware height, in cross or supply conveyor height, in lehr'ordelivery conveyor height,.and within limits, for a difference in level betweenthe cross or supply conveyor and the lehr or delivery conveyor.

Further advantages and objects of the invention will appear from the. following description of an illustrative glassware transfer apparatus of the present invention, as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: i

Fig. 1 is a front elevation ,of the improved glassware transfer apparatus with its gang gripper mechanism shown atthe delivery or lehr-conveyor side of the machine, the conveyors being omitted;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the transfer apparatus in position to transfer a row of bottles from a cross or supply conveyor, shown in section at the left, to a lehr or delivery conveyor, shown by dot-and-dash lines at the right hand side of the view, the gang gripper mechanism of the apparatus being shown by dottedlines in its ware pick-up position and in full lines in position to deposit the row of transferred bottles onto the lehr conveyor;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view mainly in elevation with portions shown in section, of an oil control cylinder and vertical rack bar combination included in the driving means for the oscillatory gang gripper mechanism, provided with a means to adjust the cylinder and rack bar combination vertically relative to its housing;

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of an upright housing and support for a pneumatic cylinder and vertical rack bar of the apparatus drive, together with means for adjusting the height of the housing and associate parts;

Fig. 5 is a section along the line 5-5 of Fig. l, showing also a. fragmentary portion of the connected lever. ofth e gripper mechanism oscillating means; I

Fig. 6 is a section along the line 3-43 of Fig. l and showing additional associate elements, and,

Fig. '7 is a diagram of the piping and control mechanisms of the apparatus.

Referring now to the drawings, the apparatus comprises a supporting base A, Figs. 1 and 2, adjustably supported on a factory floor I or like surface by jack screws 2 or similar conventional elements. A carriage, indicated generally at B, is supported upon the base A for horizontal reciprocatory movements thereon, as by grooved wheels 3 on the base coacting with rails d fixed to the carriage.

The carriage B is provided at its opposite ends with upright supports indicated generally at 13-! and 3-2 respectively as viewed in Fig. 1. These uprights are in the main alike but differ in certain particulars which will be pointed out. The left hand upright B-l comprises a stationary lower guiding section fixed on the carriage and constructed to provide a vertical guideway 6 for a vertically disposed open ended cylindrical housing 1 in which is mounted a vertically disposed cylinder 8, Figs. 1 and 3. The vertical housing "i is retained in a vertically adjusted position in the guideway 6, as by retaining or jib strips 9 secured to the stationary upright section 5 by screws ll).

The cylinder 8 is held against turning about its vertical axis in the housing I but may be adjusted vertically therein to an extent limited by the coaction of a pin ll projecting inwardly from the housing 1 into a vertical slot 12 in the wall of the cylinder. A piston rod l3 from a piston [4 in the cylinder 8 projects upwardly through the upper head 8a of the cylinder and carries a vertical rack bar I5. The rack bar [5 is housed by a tubular upward extension l6 of the housing E. An adjusting rod [1 is fastened at its lower end at [8 to the upper cylinder head 8a and extends through a guide block l9 fixed to the housing extension IB. This adjusting rod ll may be adjusted vertically by suitable known means, as by being screw threaded at for engagement with nuts 21 and 22 which respectively bear on the upper and lower surfaces of the guide block I9. By appropriate manipulation of the nuts 2| and 22 to shift the rod H axially, the cylinder 8 will be adjusted vertically in the housing I together with its piston and the rack bar [5. The purpose and effect of this adjustment will hereinafter be explained.

' The right hand upright B2, as viewed in Fig. 1, includes a stationary lower section 5a on the carriage B. Section 5a provides a vertical guideway 6a in which is disposed a cylindrical housing la held in place in the guideway by jibs 9a and screws Illa. An air cylinder 23 is mounted in the housing 1a and may be secured in place therein, as by bolts 23a, Fig. 4. A piston 2 in cylinder 23 carries an upwardly extending rod 25 which in turn carries a rack bar [5a similar to the rack bar [5. Rack bar I5a is housed in a vertical tubular housing [6a generally similar to the housing IS.

The tubular housing extensions [6 and Mia are provided with aligned journal bearings 25 and 26a, respectively, Fig. l, in which are journalled aligned horizontal stub shafts 2! and 21a respectively. These shafts carry pinions 28 and 28a, respectively, which may be integral therewith as indicated forthe shaft 21a and pinion 23a, respectively in Fig. 5. These pinions are housed in upper portions I6 and [6a of housings I and la and are in mesh with the vertical rack bars l5 and l5a, respectively. The short shafts 2'! and 21a have inner end portions projecting from the inner or adjacent sides of their housings, as indicated at 29a for the shaft 21a in Fig. 5. These inwardly projecting shaft end portions carry levers 3E! and 30a respectively having projecting parallel arms 3| and cm, respectively. A horizontal gripper mechanism shaft 32 extends between and is journalled at its ends in the outer end portions of the lever arms 3! and Ella. The shaft 32 carries one or more gripper mechanism heads. In the assembly shown in Fig. 1, these are three in number and respectively are indicated at 33, 34 and 35. Each gripper mechanism head has a depending pair of levers 37, the lower portions of which support cooperative horizontal gripper bars 38. The bars 38 may be one-piece elements or each may comprise a plurality of sections joined end-to-end. The length of the bars 38 may be varied according to the length of a row of bottles or other articles to be picked up and transferred at each operation. The bars 38 have depending gripper fingers 39 clamped thereto, as by clamping bars 40. These gripper fingers preferably are made of flexible resilient material such as spring steel, so that their lower ends will flex to the extent required for dependable gripping of all the individual articles of a row on the supply conveyor, even though the gripped portions of the individual articles vary among themselves in diameter or are not exactly. in line or spaced uniformly apart. The gang gripper mechanism just described may be used to pick up a row of articles from a supply or cross conveyor ll for transfer to a delivery conveyor such as the lehr belt 42 as shown in Fig. 2. The gripper fingers, heads and other elements of the gang gripper mechanism, considered as a unit, may be substantially as described in greater detail in my copending application No. 738,951 and further described and claimed in my earlier filed copending application Serial No. 705,371. Therefore, it is deemed unnecessary to give a detailed explanation hereinafter of this gripper mechanism or of its specific action herein. Closing and opening of the cooperative sets of gripper fingers may be controlled by application and exhaust of compressed air or other suitable pressure fiuid to and from the gripper mechanism. To this end, pressure fluid passages to the gripper mechanism heads may be provided in the oscillatory lever arms 38 and 33a and the gripper mechanism shaft 32, as in the gripper mechanism of my prior application No. 738,951. As shown in Fig. 5, an air nozzle 43 is fitted in a bushing 44 in one of the short shafts, as the shaft 210. and a bore 45 in the projecting end portion of that shaft communicates through a port 6 with the interior of the oscillatory gripper arm 31a when the latter is at the pickup end of its stroke. If it is desired to prevent direct contact of the gripper fingers. with the gripped ware, asbestos strips (not shown) may be attached to the fingers suitably for this purpose.

The heads 33, 34 and 35 and the gripped articles suspended therefrom are kept vertical during oscillation of the lever arms by .a parallel motion device comprising a sprocket 41 fixed, as by bolts cc, to the 7 upper end of the journal bearing 26a in concentric relation to the short shaft 27a, a second sprocket 49 fast to the corresponding end of the gripper mechanism shaft 32 and a sprocket chain 59 trained about the sprockets d? and t?! and kept taut by a pressure plate 5!, Fig. 2.

The rack bars I5 and Mia are kept properly meshed with the pinions on the shafts 21 and 27a, as by pressure rolls 52, in holders 53 mounted for a limited sliding movement in grooved opposite walls 5l of an offset portion of the upright tubular housing and pressed against the back of the adjacent rack bar by adjustable screws 55,: as. shown for the associated pinion 28c' and rack bar a, Figsf l and 5. Oscillation of the gripper mechanismilever' arms is efiected by reciprocation of the piston 24 in the air cylin'der 23; thereby reciprocating the raclrfbar' lfia. A pinion 56a in mesh with :a rack bar d is fast on a torque shaft 51 extending between "the uprights B-l and B-Z. See Figs. land 6. A similarypinion 56 .is provided on the opposite end of the torque shaft in mesh with thefrack bar :5. The torque shaft 51 is journalled at its ends in suitable bearings in the uprights B4 and B-2, one of such bearings being'indicated at I51 in Fig. 6. The vertical racl; bar 15 there fore will be reciprocated vertically in unison with the rack bar liia under the compulsion of the air motor. 'Ihe rack bar stijokes will be dampened continuously byreasonof the connection of the rack bar 15 with the piston in oil cylinder 8. Continuous firm meshing of the rack bars with the pinions on the torque shaft til is effected by suitably adjustable, pressure roll devices bearing against the backs of the rack bars, one of such pressure roll devieesbeing indicated at in Figs. 4 and 6.

The oil cylinder 8 communicates at its opposite with a by-pass oil line indicated atfie in Fig. '7 so. that the oscillations of the gripper lever arms will always be dampened resistance to flow of oil pumped bythe piston in the oil cylinders from one end of that Both the by-pass line 55 and the availspace in the cylinder 8 at the ends of the p ton therein are kept continuously full of oil, a reservoir (it connected by a fill pipe The oil cylinder also acts as a snubber, eliminating any tendency for trip-harnmer action. due to any overload condition which may arise.

The oscillatory strokes of the gripper mechalever arms are further. controlled. by overthrow tension coil springs t2 provided at opposite ends of the carriage and each having its lower end anchored to a projection at iiti on the adjacent upright housing and having its ..upper end and i ig. 6 for part 63. The action of the springs $22 is to aid each oscillatory stroke of the gripper mechanism lever arms [during its initial part and to dampen the final part of each such stroke.

The height of the path of oscillatory movements of the gripper mechanism at the outer ends of the oscillatory lever arms may be adjusted within limits for transfer of glassware of diiferent heights by vertical adjustments of the cylinder and rack systems and. their surrounding housings, as a unit, relative to the lower stationary sections of the supporting uprights. To this end, the housings I and "la may be provided with vertical rack elements as indiated at 65 for the housing "la in Figse and 6. coss shaft 6%, Fig. l carries adjusting pinions i with the housing racks as shown in i and 6. A hand wheel 63 is geared at cs, Figs. 1 and 2, to the shaft 66 for rotating adjusting cross shaft fit to effect the vertical adjustlli (I) "3; C)

ment of the gripper mechanismlever arms and lehr conveyor may exist within limitslas up if to l inches, either way, and may be accommodated by adjusting the vertical rod [1, Figs. 1 and 3, asandwith the effect hereinbefore described.

The aircy1inde'r 23 issui ficiently longer internally than the strokes of its piston therein to permit comprises anair cylinder H secured,. as at 12,.

on the carriage so that its piston. rod, indicated at 13, projects from one end of the cylinder parallel with the axis of oscillation of gang gripper transfer arms 3|, 3| a and hence also parallelwith the gang gripper jaws and with the row of bottles It on the cross conveyor ti. The piston rod 13. is made fast to a block is which is fixed, asat 15, to a bracket it. on the supportingbase A. A. rod i1 projects from this block in linewiththe piston rod l3 through a traveler 18 on the carriage. The

traveler it has tubular oppositeend portionslfi.

Carriage movement. cushioningmeans comprises coil springs liii and ill respectively surrounding the tubular portions 69 of thetraveler i8 and the endportions of the rod}? so as to bear at their opposite ends against stop elements ,32 and t3 adj ustably secured on the end portions of the rod. 7 Shorter inner coil springs 84 and 85 respectively may be provided around the r'od at opposite ends. of the travelertubular extensions. Movement of the carriage cnits base in either direction will be cushioned by one of the springs 312 or 5! during part of its stroke and the cushicningaction will be increased during the final part of that stroke ,by compression of an inner spring as or 85 also. The return movement of the carriage is aided by this. arrangement at the beginning of the return stroke.

The transfer apparatus also includes a scav enger bar which is moved on working strokes alternately with the ware delivery strokes of the transfer arms to clearaway any wareleft by the gripper mechanism which, if not removed, would interfere with the deposit of the next transferred row of articles. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, this bar, designated as is supported at its ends in pre-. selected alignedn-otches or transverse slots 81. in the upper edges of outwardly turned end portions 88 of lever arms 59 which are pivotally supported at their lower ends at 9! by a cross .shaft .90 mounted in bearings 91a on the carriage. An air I cylinder as for operating the scavenger bar is piv-.

otally supported at its lower endat 93 on the carriage. A pistonrod 94 protrudes from the upper end of the air cylinder .92 and is attached at .95 to an actuating knuckle or short arm 96 on one of the levers iii The lever arms may be tied together by a cross bar 91.

The transfer apparatus is air operated as has been stated. .A cycle of glassware transfer opera-.

tionsthereof is initiated by opening of a timing valve 98, Fig; 7, as by a cam 99 so as to supply air from an intake line lliil to one end of a carriage spool valve lEll, which is located on the left hand end of the carriage as viewed in Fig. 1. Timing valve 93 is usually mounted on a glassware forming machine producing the wars to bestacked into a lehr by the transfer apparatus but it may be located elsewhere.- They cam is suitableto maintain the valve 93 openfor a. relatively long puff or application of air to the carriage spoolvalve. Throwing of the carriage spool valve ill! will ad; I mit air through the line indicated at I02 to the carriagecylindcr II so as to start the carriage moving in the same direction as the row of bottles on the cross conveyor 4|. After a brief period, barrel cams I 03 and I04 respectively on a rod I05 which is mounted on the carriage base, trip air saver valves I05 and I01, respectively, which are mounted on the carriage, Fig. 1. The tripping of these valves should occur when the carriage has attained a speed at least equal to that of the moving ware although a slightly higher speed may not be objectionable. The positions of the cams I03 and I04 may be adjusted by adjusting the rod I05 inthe direction of its length, such rod being supported slidably at one end in a bearing I08 and screw-threadedly engaged with a second bearing 'or support I09. Air from the valve I06, Fig. 7,

will pass to the adjacent end of a gripper spool valve I I and also to the adjacent end of a scavenger spool valve I I I. The gripper spool valve receives air from an air intake H2 and, as tripped by the operation of the valve I06, supplies air through a line I I3 to the air cylinders of the gripper mechanism heads 33, 34 and 35, the former of which is indicated in Fig. 7. How of operating air to these gripper mechanism heads may be effected through the hollow gripper mechanism oscillating arms and the gripper mechanism shaft 32 as aforesaid, the line I I3 leading to the nozzle 43 for supplying air to this assembly as hereinbefore described and as shown in part in Fig. 5. The air supplied to the gripper mechanism heads will cause closing of the grippers to grasp the row of moving bottles on the conveyor 4i. The operating air supplied to the scavenger spool valve will operate that valve so that the air from its intake pipe II4 will pass through an air line II5 to the scavenger cylinder 92 so as to cause a wareclearing or working stroke of the scavenger bar 86.

Air supplied through the second air saver valve, that is, I01, will pass therefrom through an air line II 6 to the adjacent end of the arm spool valve I IT. The consequent operation of this spool valve will permit air from an intake line II8 to pass through an air line I I 9 to the upper end of the arm drive cylinder 23. The lever arms carrying the grippers thus will be started on their swing through an arc o-f 180 in properly timed relationship to the operations of the scavenger bar and to the closing of the grippers to grasp a row of ware at the receiving station.

The cam 60 controlling the timing valve 90 now will have been turned sufficiently to permit closing of that valve so as to cut off air supplied to the gripper mechanism system from that source. This will be eifected just before the lever arms carrying the grippers arrive at their Ware delivery position over the lehr belt 42. Also, just before this happens, a pilot valve I20, mounted on the right hand upright housing will be tripped by a cam I2I on the torque shaft 57. This action results in delivery of a puff of air through a line 22 to the second end of the scavenger spool valve I i I, thus reversing that valve so that it now delivers air through a line I23 to the scavenger cylinder 02 to effect a return stroke of the scavenger bar in time to clear the space over the lehr belt where a row of bottles is about to be delivered by the gripper mechanism.

When the gripper mechanism lever arms have made their swing of 180, a pilot valve I24 on the left hand upright housing will be tripped by an element I25 on the oil control cylinder rack I5.

' This will permit air from an air intake pipe I20 8 to the gripper spool valve I I0 and also from line I21 through a line I29 to the second end of the arm spool valve III. These spool valves will be reversed, causing opening of the grippers to set the ware down on the lehr belt and starting the gripper mechanism lever arms on their return oscillatory swing of 180.

At some time during this return swing, a pilot'- valve I30 on the left hand upright housing will be tripped by a cam ISI on the torque shaft. Air from the gripper spool valve I I0 will at this time be passing through a line I32 to the valve I30 and air from the valve I30 will then pass through a line I33 to the second end of the carriage spool valve IOI. The carriage spool valve thus will be reversed and air therefrom will pass through a line I34 to the second end of the carriage cylinder, thus causing return of the carriage to its original position ready to start a new cycle. While the pilot valves I20 and I 30 will be tripped twice by the cams on the torque shaft during a complete cycle of oscillatory movements of the gripper mechanism lever arms, each such pilot valve will be active only once to perform a function since at the other time each will be cut off from its air supply.

The air for operating the pneumatic control and operating mechanisms may be obtained from any suitable source and regulated as efficiency of operation dictates. Air at a pressure of possibly 25 pounds per square inch is sufficient to provide a rapid motion of the carriage and to swing the gripper mechanism oscillatory arms through their 180 are sufficiently fast to insure a frequency of 8 trips per minute. When the apparatus is used as a stacker, this speed gives enough stacking capacity for practically any job requirement. Air may be supplied at a slightly higher pressure, as from 35 to 40 pounds per square inch, to the various spool valves so as to insure relatively rapid control operations of these valves and air at this higher pressure also may be utilized to force oil from a pressure oil tank, not shown, through the various lubricating lines and passages (also not shown) with which the apparatus may be provided. As a convenient way to supply air to the moving parts on the carriage, such carriage may be provided with a number of different compartments, four being indicated at I35, I36, I 31 and I38 respectively, Fig. 2. The pressure oil tank referred to may be located in one of these compartments, as in the compartment I35. The higher pressure air may be supplied to another compartment, as compartment I38. This will leave the two middle compartments I30 and I3! for the lower pressure air. It will be understood that the air in the lines referred to as leading to the various spool valves and other air pressure utilizing mechanisms may pass to such valves and mechanisms from the appropriate air compartments of the carriage.

The carriage is reciprocable back and forth against the cushioning resistance of the springs 80, SI, and 05 and these springs also serve as a booster to accelerate the carriage movement at the beginning of its stroke in the direction of movement of the ware at the receiving station so that the gang grippers will quickly attain the same speed as the moving ware conveyor. The speed of the carriage for the article pick-up stroke is determined by controlling the exhaust from one end of the carriage spool valve IOI. Exhaust from this end of the spool valve I M is through a line I30, Fig. 7, provided with a valve I40. Exhaust from the spool valv [0| for t return Q M3 inactive.

vice because of stroke is through a fixed exhaust opening at M I.

"The line H3 for passing air to the gripper mec anism heads is provided witha quick eX- haust valve, indicated 'at 142, to permit quick opening of the grippers when the pressure to the gripper mechanism heads has been shut off. The time relation between the closing of the grippers and the start of the delivery swing of the gripper mechanism'lever arms is controlled by the spacing of the two barrel cams l il3 and "Mon the rod "35 in relation tothe 'valves I and I ill.

These valves should be adjusted to trip just after the carriage starts to travel so that the gripper fingers will close during" themiddle of the carriage "pick up stroke as the carriage will then have attained a speed at least equal to that of the supply conveyor.

The air intake line i l2 branch line M3 with the line I 28 and through the line 127 to the valve I25. A normally closed manually operable valve la i'normallylkeeps the line Similarly, a line I 35 provided with a normally closed valvel ifi connects the air intake line I l2 with the valve I30. Opening of the valve 4 34 will reverse the gripper'and arm spool valves as required to effect opening of the grippers and returner" the oscillatorygripper mechanism 'armsto the pick up or cross conveyor side of the apparatus. Opening of the valve Hi5 will act is connected by a through valve I310 to trip the carriage spool valve so as to return the carriage to its starting position. These manually operable provisions are available should the ware transfer-apparatus be stalled with theparts referred to in the positions indicated.

The racks and the oscillatory lever arm pinions and torque shaft pinions of the apparatus drive will be retained in close mesh so that there will be no appreciable back lash. Contact of the pressure rollers against the backs of the racks in c0njunction with pie-setting of the torque shaft hearings to mesh the torque shaft pinions properly with the racks will assure this result. The continuous dampening of the strokes of the 0s cillating gripper-mechanism lever arms will eliminate any danger to the moving parts of the dejerky or trip-hammer throw of the arms on release or built up forces developing from a jam or overloading. The apparatu will operate in rapidly repeated cycles dependably and smoothly to transfer successive single file pluralities of bottles or other articles of glassware from a moving crossor other supply conveyor to a lehr or other delivery conveyor and to maintain a desirable pattern of stacking or arrangement of the transferred were on the delivery conveyor. The pre-setting and operating adjustments of the apparatus adapt itfor highly efficient'use under any set of service conditions likely tobe encountered. r

Many changes in and modifications of the illustrative apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings and herein particularly described will 110W be apparent to those skilled in the art and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the details of the illustrated example.

I claim: l glassware transfer apparatus commovably su ported horizontally recipcarriage, upright rigid supportin means carriage, transfer arm means pivoted one end and to said upright rigid supporting means a predetermined height above the carriage swing about a horizontal axis parallel with the path of reciproc-atory movements of the within each end ofthe cylinder carriage, a gang grippermechanism carried by the outer end of said transferiarm means, .and means to oppose continuously 'a substantially constant dampening force. to the oscillatory movements of the pivoted'transferarm means, said last namedjmeans comprising an oil cylinder, a piston reciprocable therein, a transmission operatively connecting'the'piston with the .pivoted transfer arm means to move said piston in said cylinder in response to oscillatory movement of the pivoted transfer :arm means about itssaid horizontal axis, and an oil bypassline for conducting oil from either end .of the cylinder to the other under pressure from the piston moving in the cylinderQsaid. bypassline and the space ahead of said pistonbeing continuously filled withoil.

' 2. A gang glassware transfer apparatus asdefined by claim l and, in combination therewith, spring means associated withisaid carriage to aid each reciprocatory. stroke thereof at its'beginning and to. retard and cushion the final part of each such stroke. l

3. 'A gang glassware transferyapparatus comprising a movably supported horizontally reciprocahle carriage, a pair oflrigid supporting uprights secured on the carriage to move therewith, tr e individual uprights being spaced apart in the direction of the pathof reciprocatory movements of the carriage, a pair of rigid arms having inner end portions pivoted to said uprights to swing about ahorizontal axisparallel withthe path of reciprocatorymovements of the carriage,

a gang gripper mechanism extending .between and carried by the outer ends. of said rigid arms, means to oscillate said armsabout said horizontal axis to move said gripper mechanismback and forth between glassware. pick-up and delivery stations, respectively, located at opposite sides of the axis of oscillation of saidarms, means to reoiprocate said carriage in coordination .with the oscillations of'said armsto cause movement of said gripper mechanism at the pick-upstation along a path parallel with said axis of oscillation and to return the gripper mechanism to its startingposition at the pick-up station during return thereof from the delivery station by an oscillatory movement of the pivoted -arms, said means to oscillate said "arms "about said horizontal axis being constructed and arranged to move the arms through an arcof approximately 1 80 ateach stroke thereoflmeans associated with said means to oscillate said arms for adjusting the angle relative to thehorizontal of said arms-at the opposite ends of their oscillatory strokes, and overthrow tension coil spring means operatively connecting said oscillatory arms with stationary anchoring means to aideach oscillatory-stroke or" said arms at the beginning thereof and.yield ingly to oppose'the final part ofeach suc h oscillatory stroke. p

4. A gangglasswaretransfer apparatus. comprising a movably supported horizontally-reciprocable carriage, a pairofriigi'dsupportingup rights secured on the carriage to, move therewith, the individual uprights being spaced apart in the direction of the 'path ,7 of jreo'iproc'atory movements of, the carriage, 'a'fp'air ofrigid arms having inner end portions pivoted to said uprights to swing about afhorizontal ,axis,,.parallel with thepath of reciprocatoryjinovments.of the carriage, a gang-gripper mechanism-extending betweenand carried byitheoute r ends of said rigid arms, means to oscillate said arms about said horizontal axis to move said gripper mechanism back and forth between glassware pick-up and delivery stations, respectively, located at opposite sides of the axis of oscillation of said arms, means to reciprocate said carriage in coordination with the oscillations of said arms to cause movement of said gripper mechanism at the pickup station along a path parallel with said axis of oscillation and to return the gripper mechanism to its starting position :at the pick-up station during return thereof from the delivery station by an oscillatory movement of the pivoted arms, said means to oscillate said arms about said horizontal axis being constructed and arranged to move the arms through an arc of approximately 180 at each stroke thereof, means associated with said means to oscillate said arms for adjusting the angle relative to the horizontal of said arms at the opposite ends of their oscillatory strokes, said rigid supporting uprights on the carriage comprising stationary lower sections fixed to the carriage and vertically adjustable upper sections carrying said pivoted oscillatory arms, and means to adjust the height relative to the stationary lower sections of the vertically adjustable sections of said uprights.

5. A gang glassware transfer apparatus comprising a movably supported horizontally recip rocable carriage, a pair of rigid supporting uprights secured on the carriage to move therewith, the individual uprights being spaced apart in the direction of the path of reciprocatory movements of the carriage, a pair of rigid arms having inner end portions pivoted to said uprights to swing about a horizontal axis parallel with the path of reciprocatory movements of the carriage, a gang gripper mechanism extending between and carried by the outer ends of said rigid arms, means to oscillate said arms about said horizontal axis to move said gripper mechanism back and forth between glassware pick-up and delivery stations, respectively, located at opposite sides of the axis of oscillation of said arms, means to reciprocate said carriage in coordination with the oscillations of said arms to cause movement of said gripper mechanism at the pick-up station along a path parallel with said axis of oscillation and to return the gripper mechanism to its starting position at the pick-up station during return thereof from the delivery station by an oscillatory movement of the pivoted arms, said means to oscillate said arms about said horizontal axis being constructed and arranged to move the arms through an arc of approximately 180 at each stroke thereof, means associated with said means to oscillate said arms for adjusting the angle relative to the horizontal of said arms at the opposite ends of their oscillatory strokes, a pair of generally upright arms pivotally mounted on said carriage to swing about a horizontal axis parallel with the horizontal axis of oscillation of said first named pair of arms, the second named pair of arms having curved upper end portions turned toward the glassware delivery station, a transverse bar extending between and supported by the upper end portions of said second named pair of arms, and means to oscillate said second named pair of arms to move said transverse bar carried therewith back and forth across the delivery station in alternation with the oscillatory movements of the first named pair of arms to bring the gripper mechanism to that station.

6. A glassware transfer mechanism comprising a movably supported horizontally reciprocable carriage, a pair of rigid supporting uprights on the opposite ends of the carriage, each of said uprights comprising a stationary lower section fixed to the carriage and a vertically adjustable hollow upper section secured to the lower section, axially aligned stub shafts journalled in the upper portions of said supporting uprights, rigid transfer arms having inner end portions secured to said shafts, a gang gripper mechanism extending between and carried by the outer ends of said. arms, pinions fixed to said shafts, vertical rack:

bars housed within said uprights in mesh with:

said pinions, an air motor having a driving con-- nection with one of said rack bars to shift it vertically to oscillate one of said shafts, a torque shaft extending between said uprights, pinions onsaid torque shaft in mesh with said rack bars so that vertical movement of the rack bar driven by' said air motor will cause a like movement of the second rack bar, an oil cylinder supported at the lower end of the second rack bar, and a piston in said oil cylinder having a driven connection with the second rack bar to oppose a substantially constant continuous dampening action to the oscillation of said arms by the driving action of said air motor.

'7. A gang glassware transfer apparatus as defined by claim 6 and, in combination therewith, means to effect vertical adjustment of the oil cylinder in its support together with its piston and connected rack bar to adjust the angle to the horizontal of the oscillatory arms at the beginning and end of oscillatory strokes thereof through an arc of 180. 7

8. A gang glassware transfer apparatus com prising a substantially flat base, a carriage mounted for reciprocation on the base, a pair of rigid supporting uprights fixed on opposite ends of the carriage, a pair of rigid arms having inner end portions pivoted to the upper end portions of the uprights to swing about a horizontal axis parallel with the path of reciprocatory move" ments of the carriage, a gang gripper mechanism extending between and carried by the outer ends of said rigid arms, means to oscillate said arms about said horizontal axis to move said gripper mechanisms along an arc of approximately 180 between glassware pick-up and delivery stations respectively located at opposite sides of the axis of oscillation of said arms and means to oscillate said carriage on said base, said means comprisingan horizontally disposed air cylinder secured to the carriage, a piston rod projecting from one end of said cylinder and secured to the base, a rod projecting in alignment with the piston rod in a fixed position on the base, a traveler fixed to the carriage and slid-able on said rod, fixed abutments on said rod spaced from opposite ends of the traveler and coil spring means arranged on the rod between opposite ends of the traveler and said abutments to aid the beginning of each reciprocatory stroke of the carriage on the base and to cushion the final part of that reciprocatory movement.

GEORGE E. EJWE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,867,389 Sylvester July 12, 1932 1578,1563 Lorenz Sept. 20, 1932 

